TOLEDO, Ohio — A crowd of more than 110 people eager to make improvements to their physical well-being gathered Tuesday afternoon at Super Fitness North to take the next step in their journeys to be healthy -- the Super Fitness Weight Loss Challenge is underway!
Super Fitness Host Kelly Heidbreder welcomed the crowd, encouraging many of the familiar faces who have come through the Super Fitness Weight Loss Challenge for the last 16 years.
“This is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s a lifelong journey, and you did the bravest thing coming here tonight,” Heidbreder said.
Participants will spend the next 7 months being cheered on to make healthier life choices like eating better, working out and attending monthly challenges at local destinations.
The first challenge location is at Imagination Station in Downtown Toledo.
Toledoan Jaylen Carter, 57, said she will be at all the competitions as a first-time competitor. She has a goal to gain muscle and lose 15-20 pounds.
Other competitors have been coming back year after year to shed some weight and offer their experiences as motivation.
Five years ago, 69-year-old Larry Large lost the most weight he had in the challenge of 53 pounds.
As a long-time participant, Large keeps coming back because he likes to “lose weight and watch other people going through the same struggles that I’m also in, and give them my experience.”
His goal this year is to lose 40 pounds.
The challenge is also a family affair for Jenna and TJ Baker, a husband and wife team from Swanton. They were at Tuesday evening’s event with their 4-month-old baby Emerson, who they took turns holding and feeding while hearing about this year’s challenge.
They said their goals are to "have better stamina for the baby and focus on health as a couple and get to work out together."
And even if you haven’t formally joined the challenge, stay tuned here for great fitness tips, health and nutrition information, and insights into how to improve your mental health along with your physical well-being.
Host Kelly Heidbreder has been busy cooking up new ideas for the program, along with brand new recipes, tips from medical professionals to help you achieve your best, and much more.
After Tuesday's initial weigh-in, competitors will be able to participate in special group challenges and monthly weigh-ins.
The Super Fitness Weight Loss Challenge will continue until the finale on May 17, 2022. Super Fitness and WTOL 11 suggest consulting with your physician before starting any weight loss program.
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